"I was supposed to perform, and for anyone that doesn't understand how it works, he wrote and produced the song -- I mean, he's an incredible songwriter, never going to disregard his talents, he's incredible," Rita explained to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show on Tuesday (August 12). "So [Harris] has to approve anything TV-wise, for anybody that doesn't get it, so he has to approve the rights to [use the song] and he didn't approve the Teen Choice Awards."

The 2014 VMA performer said she wishes she had been told a few weeks earlier but admitted she wasn't surprised her ex didn't approve the performance. Still, that doesn't mean she wasn't pretty upset.

"Yeah, I'm not gong to lie, but not for my own selfish reasons, but for my fans," Rita said when asked if she was mad about the situation. "Because the show was going to be awesome and we put so much work and money into the show. I put my own money into the performance like I always do."

But she's trying to keep a positive outlook: "Everything happens for a reason, that's how I look at it."